Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: The Commendation Ceremony
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The academy's auditorium.
It was a building that had been standing for quite some time. The large and small stains etched into its exterior proved as much.
However, the interior was as pristine as a brand-new structure. That was thanks to the recent remodeling.
The red-haired man entering the auditorium slightly furrowed his brow. It was because of the faint paint smell that assaulted his nose the moment he stepped inside.
"...It's changed a lot."
"They remodeled it not long ago."
The girl beside him responded to the man's words. She had red hair as well.
Yoon Kang-woo and Yoon Na-rin. The man ranked 5th among active heroes and his younger sister.
A red-haired man and woman with red eyes. It wasn't hard for people to guess they were blood-related.
Yet people often mistook them for father and daughter.
Why was that?
—Hey, look over there. It's Yoon Kang-woo.
—Whoa, for real. Who's that next to him? His daughter?
—Yoon Kang-woo isn't married yet, is he?
—Oh, really? Then his little sister?
Because Yoon Kang-woo looked a bit too old to just be her brother.
Yoon Kang-woo was 31. Yoon Na-rin was 17. Quite the age gap.
On top of that, Yoon Kang-woo's prematurely aged appearance, bordering on 40, fueled the misunderstandings even more.
Yoon Kang-woo overheard the students' murmurs.
—Whoa, check out his height. So cool.
—Yeah. Doesn't he look like an actor from a noir film?
—I want to age that cool when I get older.
—Pfft. Look at your face.
Yoon Kang-woo might have looked old, but he wasn't ugly by any means.
Rather than handsome, he had a certain charisma. The unique appeal of a middle-aged gentleman in his 40s was ingrained in him.
"......"
Even though he was only 31.
This damn premature aging was one of Yoon Kang-woo's complexes.
Last time he went out with Yoon Na-rin wearing a hat, a cop even approached them suspecting a father-daughter prostitution ring.
"Oppa? What's wrong?"
Yoon Kang-woo paused, prompting Yoon Na-rin beside him to call out questioningly.
Not sure what to say, he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"...The auditorium's interior has changed a lot."
"...You just said that. I even told you it was remodeled recently."
It was news to him. He'd probably been too distracted by the surrounding chatter to hear.
"......Was that so?"
"...You weren't listening to me properly."
Yoon Na-rin glared at him with axe-like eyes.
"...They remodeled it, huh. But as an institution that trains heroes, wouldn't it be more proper to use that money to help struggling citizens..."
"Jumping to that topic again?"
"......"
"Last time I told Anis that you're my brother, know what she said? 'That old geezer?'"
"......"
Yoon Kang-woo was a bit shocked.
"No way, we barely even talked! What did I even say to make her say that?!"
"Anyway. We're about to meet my friends now, so if you pull that old geezer crap in front of them, you're done for. For real."
"...Got it."
Yoon Kang-woo, ranked 5th among heroes. The strongest flame wielder in existence.
He wielded immense influence and respect in the industry, but he was hopelessly weak against his little sister.
...Ugh, shit.
A curse slipped out involuntarily.
I flinched and slowly turned my head back to glance at the rear of the auditorium.
"Hic."
A squeaky voice leaked out. I quickly whipped my head forward again.
[There'll be a commendation ceremony for Anis and U-sol in the auditorium after it's over~]
That's what our homeroom teacher, Silbi, had said. She mentioned it so casually, like it was no big deal, so I figured they'd just hand us a piece of paper labeled "commendation" and call it a day.
I glanced back again.
People. People. People.
The vast auditorium was packed to the brim.
I could say it with certainty. There were at least twice as many people as at the entrance ceremony. It felt like every student and teacher in the academy was there.
And it wasn't just students and teachers. I spotted faces from the hero world that I'd only ever seen online, ones with quite the reputation.
I couldn't even begin to count how many there were. Cautiously, I estimated at least a thousand.
"...Hic."
A hiccup escaped me unbidden. My heart was pounding like mad. I was so tense my hands were shaking.
I sneaked a peek at Han U-sol sitting next to me. He looked perfectly fine.
'...Does this guy not know what nerves are?'
[The commendation and medal ceremony will now begin...]
The announcer signaled the start.
'...Medal?'
I'd never heard about getting one of those... Wasn't it just the commendation certificate?
Soon, the principal took the podium and began his speech. I couldn't process a word of it.
[Han U-sol and Anis Harper, please come to the stage.]
The principal's speech ended, and the announcer called our names.
I stood from my chair and trailed after Han U-sol like a lost puppy.
As Han U-sol and I ascended the stage, thunderous applause erupted.
—Clap clap clap clap clap!!!
I nearly jumped out of my skin, my legs almost giving way.
'Sh-shit... Why are they doing this to me...'
I'd never stood before so many people. All those eyes on me felt overwhelmingly burdensome.
The announcer began to speak.
[The principal of Acamedy Academy, with the approval of the Hero Association, hereby awards commendations and medals to current students Han U-sol and Anis Harper, in recognition of their bravery and indomitable spirit in the face of adversity...]
'What is this, some war hero treatment...'
The announcer lavished us with flowery praise.
'......Ugh.'
...It was so overwhelming I felt sick to my stomach.
After about ten minutes of the announcer's effusive praise, the principal personally handed us our commendation certificates and draped medals around our necks.
"Splendid work, Miss Anis. Keep saving people in the future."
"Th-thank you..."
—Clap clap clap clap clap!!!
I-it's over now, right?
I spun around quickly to descend the stage.
Thinking it was finally done, the tension eased and my legs felt a bit weak.
"Miss Anis?"
"Yes?"
"Shouldn't we take a photo first?"
"Oh, right..."
Photos to finish it off, huh. Come to think of it, Han U-sol had stayed put beside the principal.
'...Hurry up and take it so we can end this.'
I wanted to shake off this tension and pressure as soon as possible.
The moment I turned back to step forward.
Thud-!
My legs tangled.
"Wha-what...?"
—Crash!
The sound echoed through the auditorium. Something had slammed hard into the hollow wooden stage and rolled.
Crack-
A crack formed in the medal around my neck.
The commendation certificate flew crumpled to a corner of the stage.
— .........
The auditorium fell into dead silence.
And just like that, in front of over a thousand people, I tripped spectacularly and tumbled across the floor.
"Anis! Are you... okay?"
"......Yeah."
After the ceremony ended, Yoon Na-rin approached and asked. Yoon Kang-woo, her brother, was beside her.
Come to think of it, I hadn't thanked them properly for saving me last time.
"Hello... Last time... for helping us... thank you so much..."
"Y-yeah. Don't worry too much about the fall. A true hero..."
Yoon Kang-woo started to say something but trailed off as Yoon Na-rin kicked his shin.
"R-right, Anis. Don't sweat it."
"Yeah. People will forget about it soon enough."
Han U-sol and Reisi offered words of comfort too.
"......Yeah."
...It didn't help.
As I moped, a child's voice rang out from somewhere. A familiar one.
"Sis!!"
"Rena, don't run!"
The child ran up and hugged me.
It was the girl I'd gotten the balloon down from the tree for, the one who'd been in the container I protected.
"Sorry, Rena's such a wild child..."
"And thank you so much for saving us last time. We would've been in real trouble without you two."
The child's mother hurried over, apologizing and thanking me at once.
"...N-no! It was just what any hero would do."
Han U-sol scratched his cheek awkwardly as he spoke.
Starting with the mother and daughter, other citizens from the container began approaching one by one.
—I wanted to thank you too...
—If it weren't for you heroes...
—Thank you so much. This is just a small token...
"N-no! You don't need to give us anything!"
"Wh-what...? ...Yeah, really, no need..."
People tried to hand over gratuities, but Han U-sol refused, saying it was just his duty.
With Han U-sol stubbornly turning them down, I got swept up in the moment and refused too.
'...Still, this is a little comforting.'
Since the fall, I'd been wearing a gloomy expression, but it was starting to soften.
Thanks from the people I'd saved.
...It definitely lifted my spirits.
"Sis!! Thank you so much for saving me!!"
Seeing the child beaming in my arms made me smile.
I liked kids.
Their pure honesty in expressing their feelings without filter.
Yeah. I loved that purity.
Maybe I should be the one thanking them, not the other way around.
Because their survival comforted me and made me feel acknowledged.
Because I'd blended in, melted into it all.
"...Yeah. Thank you too."
I stroked the child's head and thanked her in return.
A bit later, the photographer brought printed photos and handed them to Han U-sol and me.
In the photo, I had a cracked medal around my neck, clutched a crumpled commendation certificate, and stared at the camera with a pale face on the verge of tears.
'...Mortifying.'
...Tripping in front of everyone and looking like I was about to cry. Heat rushed to my face in embarrassment.
Rena, who'd been in my arms, saw the photo and burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Look at sis's face!! You're about to cry!! Were you embarrassed?"
".........No."
"But sis, you fell so hilariously!! You looked kinda dumb!"
"Pfft... R-Rena! That's rude!"
Laughter erupted around us at Rena's words.
Yoon Na-rin, Han U-sol, Reisi, even Yoon Kang-woo and the child's mother.
...The pure honesty in expressing their feelings without filter.
The cruelty born from that purity.
"......"
I put on a gloomy face again.